Statistics in Kenya show that 50 people die every day of different forms of cancer while 80,000 new diagnoses are done each year according to Pact Kenya Cancer Assessment in Africa and Asia 2010.

Diagnosis of cancer or any other disease in the category of the diseases perceived as “dreaded diseases” sparks physical, spiritual and emotional trauma to the sick person, relatives and friends as well.

The stress is even more intense when a disease like cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage, at level 4 as experts say, when saving the life of the patients becomes increasingly hard.

At such a time, some of the affected and infected; more so those without the financial muscle are left with few options; to frantically fight the disease or simply empathize with each other as the disease, slowly and painfully squeeze life out of the hapless victim.

These are the situations that befell Mrs. Elizabeth Ndung’u and Grace Wanjiku Mwaura both who lost their fathers to prostrate and stomach cancer respectively. As they told their stories, the crowd went dead silent; they narrated their experiences to an audience of different stakeholders in Nakuru town of Rift Valley province, Kenya; called to familiarize themselves with the activities of Nakuru Hospice and Palliative Care Center.

• Grace Wanjiku Mwaura addresses gathering at a Nakuru hotel during a meeting to familiarize with the activities of Nakuru Hospice and Palliative Care Center. •

Wanjiku expressed gratification that her father died a happy man due to the care by the Nakuru Hospice.

“We were so confused; there was so much physical, emotional and spiritual trauma as we watched our dad suffer from cancer before the Hospice health officers came in to ease his pain.” Said Grace as she forced down a lump of pain in her throat.

For Elizabeth the death of her father made her realize that “the end of life care was just as important as care for a new born baby.”

Her father died a painful death and worse still he died having not known what he was suffering from. “His death was a turning point to me because I began thinking on how end of life can be made a bit dignified, this is how Nakuru Hospice and Palliative Care came about,” adds Elizabeth. The hospice’s main role is to alleviate physical and psychosocial suffering associated with progressive incurable illnesses.

She decided to seek assistance from the business community, doctors and the community at large in Nakuru County to set up the hospice. “It is an idea born out of an individual’s suffering,” she says. Elizabeth is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hospice.

There are less than 20 hospices in Kenya, a country that is apparently yet to be equipped with necessary facilities to fight cancer. “Nakuru hospice is a facility that is restoring hope to hopeless people suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases considered ‘deadly’,” notes Elizabeth. Her father was diagnosed with cancer in 2003 but the same was not disclosed to the family until 2005.

She used to buy one doze of medicine at Shs.20, 000 ($250) every two months, besides being the sole breadwinner of the family. “After the financial burden became unbearable, I took my only car to Nairobi Airport for hire hoping to be getting Kshs.25, 000 ($300) a month to buy drugs,” she adds.

The car was involved in an accident barely two weeks after she hired it off and could not bring in the needed cash. “I went through a period of denial to ensure father gets the medicine as prescribed using my salary from my workplace at a Non Governmental Organization,” recalls Elizabeth.

In December 2005 her father happened to see a chemist receipt issued upon buying his drugs and on realizing how expensive they were he refused to take drugs henceforth.

“He started demanding to know what kind of disease he was suffering from that required such expensive drugs, he refused to take the drugs and said the money can be used to help other family members,” she explains.

Her father’s condition worsened thereafter and he died in 2006 February in a painful death after which Elizabeth embarked on a mission to ensure people with incurable diseases die dignified deaths.

Misfortunes piled on; in 2008 her family that lived in Londiani lost everything after their homestead was burnt down during the post election violence. She moved her mother and other relatives to Nairobi where she rented a room for them. She also lost her job in the same year after the NGO she was working for closed down operations.

• Elizabeth Ndung'u, Chief Executive Officer Nakuru Hospice and Palliative Care Center address gathering of different groups and individuals in Nakuru who have have been supporting the center financially to provide management of life threatening illnesses like cancer. •

“Compared to Uganda, treatment of cancer in Kenya is much higher since a patient must be prepared with not less than Shs.300, 000 approximately ($3,500) for therapy alone,” says Elizabeth.

A charitable organization dubbed Hospice Care Kenya helped to start off the Nakuru hospice after donating Shs.1.1 million ($12,000) used in renovating a dilapidated room that is now building housing the hospice.

Dr. Timothy Olweny who is the chairman at the facility says the hospice admits patients who are in critical conditions and health officers also visit patients at their homes to offer holistic home based care to those who cannot reach hospice due to the state of their sickness.

“Since diagnosis of cancer is done when the disease is in its advanced stages, many people do not have financial strength for treatment. Many also don’t have insurance. Treatment is quite expensive, at such a stage managing pain is the most critical aspect to allow patients die in a dignified manner” says Olweny.

Peter Kahare is a freelance journalist based in Nakuru County of Rift Valley province in Kenya, East Africa.